U.S., European venture capital funds begin talking to tech entrepreneurs

In the week following the framework nuclear deal between world powers and Iran, Tehran-based Internet entrepreneur Faty Amir Soleimani pitched every day to Western investors for funding.

“We started getting a lot interest from foreigners,” said Ms. Soleimani, who runs an e-commerce site for baby products called Koodakoo. “When I say a lot, it was really a lot.”

Amid a global glut of investment into Internet companies, Ms. Soleimani’s experience suggests that Western investors are eyeing perhaps their most risky bet yet: Iranian startups.

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This article was written by Friedrich Geiger & Rory Jones for The Wall Street Journal on June 10, 2015. Friedrich Geiger is a reporter in The Wall Street Journal’s Frankfurt bureau, writing about German business and technology. Rory Jones writes about business and economics in the Middle East from The Wall Street Journal's Dubai bureau. His coverage area is wide-ranging, from the fast-growing Persian Gulf airlines to the wealthy telecoms operators across the region.